In 2016, the Yankees collapsed and remade themselves with youngsters. If they collapse this year, there will be no Baby Bombers

Lately, some angry Yankee fans - when not throwing objects from the upper deck - have wistfully suggested that 2021 could be the Second Coming of 2016. 

Ah, five years ago... the summer of rebirth...

That July, Cashman's Clunkers - old, slow and pissing money - "retired" A-Rod, traded Aroldis Chapman and unveiled a litter of future stars, most notably, Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge. We also picked up Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres, whose fates have intertwined with the current mudslide. 

Well, aside from the fact that we might again collapse - and maybe trade El Chapo - this aint 2016. 

Check out the Scranton "alternative" site: You won't find many alternatives. In 2016, the upper levels of the Yankee farm system boasted Sanchez, Judge, Tyler Austin, Luis Severino, Ben Gamel, Austin Romine and Rob "Brigadoon" Refsynder, the mysterious specter who vanished and reappeared. Who knows? Maybe Ref will show up some alt-Scranton time warp, still age 25 and ready to wrest 2B from Rougned "No More" Odor!

Aside from Deivi Garcia - the new Brigadoon? - who mysteriously disappeared so Domingo German could flourish, the alt-Scranton cupboard looks as bare as a Kardashian Instagram. Nor can they "retire" the new A-Rod, Giancarlo Stanton, without writing off about $120 million. To effectively trade Stanton, they will need to either pay his vast salary or throw in a top prospect or two -basically burning the franchise to the ground and starting over. That won't happen under Cooperstown Cashman. But a new management team... ?

If you like worst case scenarios - and as Yank fans, who doesn't - we could be facing a 2016-level collapse - without the ensuing wave of youth. 

Okay, I know what you're thinking: BUCK UP, YOU CLOWN. IT'S WAY TOO EARLY TO BE SO DOWN. Yeah, we're having a miserable month of April. In May, the big bats could heat up, and Gerrit Cole is every bit the ace we needed. And you're right, sorta. Spoiler alert: This is not the worst team in the AL (shout out to Texas Rangers!) But this season has been built on gambles - Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery, Domingo German, Sanchez, Gleyber at SS, Aaron Hicks, Frazier, Judge's injury record, yeesh... If a few don't pay off, let's face it: We're toast. 

The talent curve from 2016 is collapsing. Our best future hope, Jasson Dominquez, remains two to three years away (assuming he's for real, which we don't yet know.) 

For last year's mini-season, Boston kicked in the walls and launched a rebuild. Tampa stuck with youth at every position. Toronto unveiled a wave of rising stars, and Baltimore - well - as Randy sang, aint it hard just to live... 

The Yankees seem to have just grown a year older. 

Well, it is too early to self-immolate. One of these days, we'll win five in a row. But if these gambles don't pay off... if we're actually as bad as we look... dear God, it's going to be a long time down.